Raves have been a hot topic of discussion since Germany’s Love Parade in June 2010 caused panic by closing one of the tunnels used for entry. A stampede ensued and it killed 18 people. Then, a 15-year-old girl died at Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival held at the Los Angeles Coliseum in June 2010. Ever since then, Hard and Insomniac events, the two biggest organizers of raves, have been trying to revamp their reputations and make raves safer.

Starting with moving their events from all-ages to 18 and up, Hard and Insomniac are trying to reduce the stigma of raves. 

Making the events 18 and up and tightening security is completely understandable and necessary, but now Insomniac has decided to attack rave culture at its core by deciding to ban LED light shows put on by attendants.

In a letter to their Facebook fans, Insomniac announced that:

“Although there are many who use these lights as an art form, the image that it creates when groups of music fans are sitting or lying on the floor gazing at the designs reflects poorly and sends a false message of what the electronic dance music scene is about. This image jeopardizes our ability to produce events, which we love and plan on doing for decades to come.”

Raves are supposed to be about freedom of expression and have become a kind of adult playground where people can go, dress up, and dance all night. It's an arena of freedom where P.L.U.R. (peace, love, unity, and respect) is the motto. Light shows are a huge part of that culture because it is an artistic gift from one stranger to another.

Hard Haunted Mansion 2010 banned harmless items such as dolls, toys, plush items, glow sticks & light toys, markers, and chapstick just because some people might associate them with the popular party drug, Ecstasy. 

Insomniac also says that, “concerns have been raised about attendees sitting on designated dance floor areas and in walkways” to view light shows.

But, if people sitting down in designated dance areas or emergency walkways is their true concern, why not have designated areas to sit down? At an event that usually lasts from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., it is ridiculous to demand that people are standing the entire time.

Although raves can be dangerous, it is not the rave culture or music that makes it dangerous. It is the sheer amount of people. When there are 50,000 people in one compacted area, there are bound to be problems. Instead of addressing this real problem, Insomniac attacks light shows which have nothing to do with the dangers of raves.

Recently, president of University of Southern California, Max Nikias, issued a statement to the student body “highly discouraging participation in raves.” But, I say, let he who has experienced a rave cast the first stone. 

Insomniac events has responded to Nikias’s blanket statement in an email Wednesday evening by saying, “Insomniac’s events aim to cultivate and enrich the human mind and spirit through the arts -- a goal that is perfectly in tune with USC’s own mission statement.”

But Insomniac’s decision to ban light shows is in disagreement with this statement because doing so hinders the creative freedom of its attendants. 

By banning light shows, Insomniac is buying into the stigma that raves carry about everyone being on drugs, particularly Ecstasy. 

Nikias says, “Ecstasy, which is common at raves, produces a number of adverse reactions that may include disorientation, anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks, and hallucinations. These reactions, even in mild forms, can create a ripple effect of dangers that lead to catastrophic consequences.” 

It seems that he is saying, “If you go to a rave, you will do Ecstasy and have a panic attack.” This argument clearly uses the fallacy of the trickle down effect to support its argument.

If one goes to a Grateful Dead concert, one is likely to see people on LSD but that doesn’t mean there are not a large amount of people at the concert who are there for the music and are not on drugs. The same thing happens at raves.

There is no way to describe a rave to anyone who has not been to one. They simply cannot understand the beauty and positive effects of being surrounded by that many people who have come as their complete selves. Judgement is left at the door and if one wants to hula-hoop or jump up and down or dress like furry butterfly, people only smile, not scoff.

Hopefully, Insomniac's ban of LED light shows does not lead to a gradual obliteration of all positive things associated with rave culture.

Complete Letter to Insomniac Fans can be seen here.

Reach Tess here.